Daihatsu's Tanto forecast as 2014 Japan best seller

Daihatsu's Tanto forecast as 2014 Japan best seller

NAGOYA, Japan - File photo taken in October 2013 shows Daihatsu Motor Co.'s Tanto minicar that is believed to have become the best-selling vehicle in Japan in 2014 for the first time, with sales estimated at around 234,000 units.

New Daihatsu Tanto

New Daihatsu Tanto

TOKYO, Japan - Daihatsu Motor Co. unveils an updated Daihatsu Tanto minicar in Tokyo on Oct. 3, 2013.

New Daihatsu Tanto

New Daihatsu Tanto

TOKYO, Japan - Daihatsu Motor Co. President Masanori Mitsui poses in an updated Daihatsu Tanto minicar as the automaker unveiled the new version in Tokyo on Oct. 3, 2013.

Daihatsu Motor's new Tanto

Daihatsu Motor's new Tanto

On April 9, Daihatsu announced the launch of the fully remodeled Tanto (photo), a tall minicar, the fourth generation since the first generation Tanto was launched in 2003. Based on DNGA, a new development platform for minicars and compact cars, the vehicle's chassis and powertrain have been completely redesigned to improve basic performance such as handling stability and flat ride comfort. The price including consumption tax ranges from 1,224,400 to 1,873,800 yen. The sales target is 12,500 units per month. At a press conference held in Tokyo on the same day, President Soichiro Okudaira expressed his confidence in the new model, saying, "Basic performance such as handling stability and quietness have been raised to a very high level, raising the car's status one or two notches. Inside the vehicle, the driver's seat slides backward 54cm to create a passageway to the rear seat, and the sliding door automatically opens and closes to make it easier to get in and out from the sidewalk.